Sliding vane pump

Abstract

A sliding vane pump comprising a rotor housing having a pumping chamber, a rotor in the pumping chamber having a plurality of radially disposed slots, and a plurality of sliding vanes disposed in the slots configured to extend to follow an inner wall of said pumping chamber.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A pump comprising: 
       a rotor housing having a pumping chamber;  
       a rotor in said pumping chamber, said rotor having a plurality of radially disposed slots;  
       a plurality of sliding vanes disposed in said slots, said sliding vanes configured to extend to follow an inner wall of said pumping chamber;  
       said pumping chamber having at least two internal inlet ports and at least two internal discharge ports, said internal inlet ports, internal discharge ports, rotor, and vanes all configured to pump fluid from said internal inlet ports to said internal discharge ports as said rotor rotates within said pumping chamber;  
       a discharge housing fixedly attached to said rotor housing, said discharge housing being in communication with said internal discharge ports and providing at least two external discharge ports, said discharge housing having fluid paths passing all the fluid from one of said internal discharge ports to one of said external discharge ports such that all the fluid exiting said pumping chamber through said one of said internal discharge ports passes through said one of said external discharge ports, said discharge housing including additional fluid paths passing all of said fluid from a second of said internal discharge ports through one of said first external discharge ports and a second of said external discharge ports.  
     
     
       2. The pump set forth in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said slots is offset from an equally-spaced configuration. 
     
     
       3. The pump set forth in  claim 2  wherein said rotor contains n slots, and said slots are located such that no angles between a first set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are duplicated within said first set of n/2 slots. 
     
     
       4. The pump set forth in  claim 3  wherein angles between a second set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are identical to said angles between the first set of n/2 slots so that each said slot has a corresponding slot located 180 degrees away. 
     
     
       5. The pump set forth in  claim 4  wherein n equals 12. 
     
     
       6. The pump set forth in  claim 1  wherein 
       said pumping chamber is defined by a pressure plate on one side of said rotor, said pressure plate being disposed generally perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of said rotor, a thrust plate on an opposite side of said rotor, said thrust plate disposed generally perpendicularly to said axis of rotation of said rotor, and a pump ring disposed between said thrust plate and said pressure plate and surrounding said rotor;  
       said pump ring having at least two inlet notches circumferentially spaced apart, each said notch defining at least part of a corresponding one of said inlet ports;  
       each said inlet notch extending circumferentially at least 60 degrees around said pump ring.  
     
     
       7. The pump set forth in  claim 6  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially at least 65 degrees around said pump ring. 
     
     
       8. The pump set forth in  claim 7  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially approximately 68 degrees around said pump ring. 
     
     
       9. A pump comprising: 
       a rotor housing having a pumping chamber;  
       a rotor in said pumping chamber, said rotor having a plurality of radially disposed slots;  
       a plurality of sliding vanes disposed in said slots, said sliding vanes configured to extend to follow an inner wall of said pumping chamber;  
       said pumping chamber having at least two internal inlet ports and at least two internal discharge ports, said internal inlet ports, internal discharge ports, rotor, and vanes all configured to pump fluid from said internal inlet ports to said internal discharge ports as said rotor rotates within said pumping chamber; and  
       wherein said rotor contains n slots, and said slots are located such that no angles between the first set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are duplicated within the first set of n/2 slots.  
     
     
       10. The pump set forth in  claim 9  wherein angles between a second set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are identical to said angles between the first set of n/2 slots so that each said slot has a corresponding slot located 180 degrees away. 
     
     
       11. The pump set forth in  claim 10  wherein n equals 12. 
     
     
       12. The pump set forth in  claim 9  wherein 
       said pumping chamber is defined by a pressure plate on one side of said rotor, said pressure plate being disposed generally perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of said rotor, a thrust plate on an opposite side of said rotor, said thrust plate disposed generally perpendicularly to said axis of rotation of said rotor, and a pump ring disposed between said thrust plate and said pressure plate and surrounding said rotor;  
       said pump ring having at least two inlet notches circumferentially spaced apart, each said notch defining at least part of a corresponding one of said inlet ports;  
       each said inlet notch extending circumferentially at least 60 degrees around said pump ring.  
     
     
       13. The pump set forth in  claim 12  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially at least 65 degrees around said pump ring. 
     
     
       14. The pump set forth in  claim 13  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially approximately 68 degrees around said pump ring. 
     
     
       15. The pump set forth in  claim 9  wherein each said internal discharge port is in communication with a corresponding external discharge port so that fluid from each said external discharge port may be separately utilized. 
     
     
       16. The pump set forth in  claim 15  further comprising: 
       a discharge housing fixedly attached to said rotor housing, said discharge housing being in communication with said internal discharge ports and carrying said external discharge ports, said discharge housing having fluid paths connecting said internal discharge ports to said external discharge ports.  
     
     
       17. A pump comprising: 
       a rotor housing having a pumping chamber;  
       a rotor in said pumping chamber, said rotor having a plurality of radially disposed slots;  
       a plurality of sliding vanes disposed in said slots, said sliding vanes configured to extend to follow an inner wall of said pumping chamber;  
       said pumping chamber having at least two internal inlet ports and at least two internal discharge ports, said internal inlet ports, internal discharge ports, rotor, and vanes all configured to pump fluid from said internal inlet ports to said internal discharge ports as said rotor rotates within said pumping chamber;  
       wherein said pumping chamber is defined by a pressure plate on one side of said rotor, said pressure plate being disposed generally perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of said rotor, a thrust plate on an opposite side of said rotor, said thrust plate disposed generally perpendicularly to said axis of rotation of said rotor, and a pump ring disposed between said thrust plate and said pressure plate and surrounding said rotor;  
       said pump ring having at least two inlet notches circumferentially spaced apart, each said notch defining at least part of a corresponding one of said inlet ports; and  
       each said inlet notch extending circumferentially at least 60 degrees around said pump ring.  
     
     
       18. The pump set forth in  claim 17  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially at least 65 degrees around said pump ring. 
     
     
       19. The pump set forth in  claim 18  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially approximately 68 degrees around said pump ring. 
     
     
       20. The pump set forth in  claim 17  wherein each said internal discharge port is in communication with a corresponding external discharge port so that fluid from each said external discharge port may be separately utilized. 
     
     
       21. The pump set forth in  claim 20  further comprising: 
       a discharge housing fixedly attached to said rotor housing, said discharge housing being in communication with said internal discharge ports and carrying said external discharge ports, said discharge housing having fluid paths connecting said internal discharge ports to said external discharge ports.  
     
     
       22. The pump set forth in  claim 17  wherein at least one of said slots is offset from an equally-spaced configuration. 
     
     
       23. The pump set forth in  claim 22  wherein said rotor contains n slots, and said slots are located such that no angles between a first set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are duplicated within said first set of n/2 slots. 
     
     
       24. The pump set forth in  claim 23  wherein angles between a second set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are identical to said angles between the first set of n/2 slots so that each said slot has a corresponding slot located 180 degrees away. 
     
     
       25. The pump set forth in  claim 24  wherein n equals 12. 
     
     
       26. A pumping system comprising: 
       a pump having at least one inlet and a plurality of substantially pressure-independent discharge ports;  
       a first flow path extending from a low pressure reservoir to said at least one inlet;  
       a second flow path extending from a first one of said discharge ports to a load, said load discharging said fluid to said low pressure reservoir;  
       a third flow path extending from a second one of said discharge ports to a valve,  
       a fourth flow path extending from said valve to said load;  
       a fifth flow path extending from said valve to a low pressure location upstream from said inlet; and  
       wherein said valve is operable to connect said third flow path to said fourth flow path and said fifth flow path.  
     
     
       27. The pumping system set forth in  claim 26  further comprising a jet supercharger on said first flow path and said fifth flow path extends from said valve to a nozzle in said jet supercharger. 
     
     
       28. The pumping system of  claim 26  wherein said pump comprises: 
       a rotor housing having a pumping chamber;  
       a rotor in said pumping chamber, said rotor having a plurality of radially disposed slots;  
       a plurality of sliding vanes disposed in said slots, said sliding vanes configured to extend to follow an inner wall of said pumping chamber;  
       said pumping chamber having at least two internal inlet ports and at least two internal discharge ports, said internal inlet ports, internal discharge ports, rotor, and vanes all configured to pump fluid from said internal inlet ports to said internal discharge ports as said rotor rotates within said pumping chamber; wherein  
       each said internal discharge port being in communication with a corresponding one of said discharge ports so that fluid from each said discharge port may be separately utilized.  
     
     
       29. The pumping system set forth in  claim 28  further comprising: 
       a discharge housing fixedly attached to said rotor housing, said discharge housing being in communication with said internal discharge ports and carrying said discharge ports, said discharge housing having fluid paths connecting said internal discharge ports to said discharge ports.  
     
     
       30. The pumping system of  claim 26  wherein said pump comprises: 
       a rotor housing having a pumping chamber;  
       a rotor in said pumping chamber, said rotor having a plurality of radially disposed slots;  
       a plurality of sliding vanes disposed in said slots, said sliding vanes configured to extend to follow an inner wall of said pumping chamber;  
       said pumping chamber having at least two internal inlet ports and at least two internal discharge ports, said internal inlet ports, internal discharge ports, rotor, and vanes all configured to pump fluid from said internal inlet ports to said internal discharge ports as said rotor rotates within said pumping chamber; and  
       wherein at least one of said slots is offset from an equally-spaced configuration. 
     
     
       31. The pumping system set forth in  claim 30  wherein said rotor contains n slots, and said slots are located such that no angles between a first set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are duplicated within said first set of n/2 slots. 
     
     
       32. The pumping system set forth in  claim 31  wherein angles between a second set of n/2 consecutive adjacent slots are identical to said angles between the first set of n/2 slots so that each said slot has a corresponding slot located 180 degrees away. 
     
     
       33. The pumping system set forth in  claim 32  wherein n equals 12. 
     
     
       34. The pumping system of  claim 26  wherein said pump comprises: 
       a rotor housing having a pumping chamber;  
       a rotor in said pumping chamber, said rotor having a plurality of radially disposed slots;  
       a plurality of sliding vanes disposed in said slots, said sliding vanes configured to extend to follow an inner wall of said pumping chamber;  
       said pumping chamber having at least two internal inlet ports and at least two internal discharge ports, said internal inlet ports, internal discharge ports, rotor, and vanes all configured to pump fluid from said internal inlet ports to said internal discharge ports as said rotor rotates within said pumping chamber;  
       said pumping chamber is defined by a pressure plate on one side of said rotor, said pressure plate being disposed generally perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of said rotor, a thrust plate on an opposite side of said rotor, said thrust plate disposed generally perpendicularly to said axis of rotation of said rotor, and a pump ring disposed between said thrust plate and said pressure plate and surrounding said rotor;  
       said pump ring having at least two inlet notches circumferentially spaced apart, each said notch defining at least part of a corresponding one of said inlet ports; and  
       each said inlet notch extending circumferentially at least 60 degrees around said pump ring.  
     
     
       35. The pumping system set forth in  claim 34  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially at least 65 degrees around said pump ring. 
     
     
       36. The pumping system set forth in  claim 35  wherein said inlet notch extends circumferentially approximately 68 degrees around said pump ring.